Short Window to Submit Testimony Against SB479 (Gun Storage Bill)

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  • Allen65

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 29, 2013
    7,063
    Anne Arundel County
    MSI sent out a warning this morning that the window for testimony against SB479. This is the bill that would change several terms in existing law in ways that would make it almost impossible to legally store firearms or ammunition in households with anyone under 18, with severe penalties.
    Bill text is here:
    https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/sb/sb0479F.pdf

    Based on the info MSI sent out, written testimony must be submitted between 0800 and 1500 on 9 February. Instructions for submitting testimony can be found by scrolling down on this page:
    https://www.marylandshallissue.org/jmain/legislation-tracker/bill-tracker


    Hopefully everyone reading this post will be submitting their testimony tomorrow. It's important that our voices be heard in this process, even if all we manage to do is neuter some of the worst parts of the bill. The process of setting up an MyMGA account and submitting testimony on very short notice is painful, but utterly necessary.
     

    antco

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 28, 2010
    7,045
    Calvert, MD
    MSI sent out a warning this morning that the window for testimony against SB479. This is the bill that would change several terms in existing law in ways that would make it almost impossible to legally store firearms or ammunition in households with anyone under 18, with severe penalties.
    Bill text is here:
    https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2021RS/bills/sb/sb0479F.pdf

    Based on the info MSI sent out, written testimony must be submitted between 0800 and 1500 on 9 February. Instructions for submitting testimony can be found by scrolling down on this page:
    https://www.marylandshallissue.org/jmain/legislation-tracker/bill-tracker


    Hopefully everyone reading this post will be submitting their testimony tomorrow. It's important that our voices be heard in this process, even if all we manage to do is neuter some of the worst parts of the bill. The process of setting up an MyMGA account and submitting testimony on very short notice is painful, but utterly necessary.

    I'm far from being fluent in legalese, but I read it as age 16 and referring to loaded firearms, or firearms that are not locked in a manner to prevent loading and use. The wording seems to be aimed at preventing untrained and unsupervised children from accidently shooting their friends head off when they find dads pistol in the nightstand.

    Edit:
    What about the other bills and testimony being looked at in the link you provided? Public Safety - Untraceable and Undetectable Firearms & Handgun Permits – Qualifications – High–Risk Occupations catch my eye more than storage requirements.
     

    Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    If my 17 year old daughter were home alone during a home invasion, I'd sure want her to have access to the tools to stop the act.
    I'd rather have her alive and sort out the legality of it later, than stand at her funeral...or worse, in the hospital as she undergoes administration of a rape kit.
     

    MRH

    Never sell your sword
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 5, 2020
    1,716
    Chesapeake Bay
    Half the problem I feel with responsible gun owners is that they see some laws as "sensible" and therefore see no big issue with the law as proposed. But in the end we have been duped into believing it isn't a frantic chipping away at the core 2A right, and that "reasonable law interpretation" is even in the gun grabbers wheelhouse... IT IS NOT!
     

    135sohc

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 27, 2013
    1,157
    If my 17 year old daughter were home alone during a home invasion, I'd sure want her to have access to the tools to stop the act.
    I'd rather have her alive and sort out the legality of it later, than stand at her funeral...or worse, in the hospital as she undergoes administration of a rape kit.

    The true intention of this legislation is no secret to anyone here who can look through the BS. Looking again at this bill and making the connection it is named for the girl who was killed at Great Mills HS coming up on three years ago by her jilted ex-bf using a handgun that belonged to the shooters father.
     

    Bertfish

    Throw bread on me
    Mar 13, 2013
    17,608
    White Marsh, MD
    If my 17 year old daughter were home alone during a home invasion, I'd sure want her to have access to the tools to stop the act.
    I'd rather have her alive and sort out the legality of it later, than stand at her funeral...or worse, in the hospital as she undergoes administration of a rape kit.

    This is the way

    Teach your kids responsibility. Screw the state
     

    hillbilly grandpa

    Active Member
    Jan 26, 2013
    962
    Arnold
    I'm far from being fluent in legalese, but I read it as age 16 and referring to loaded firearms, or firearms that are not locked in a manner to prevent loading and use. The wording seems to be aimed at preventing untrained and unsupervised children from accidently shooting their friends head off when they find dads pistol in the nightstand.

    Edit:
    What about the other bills and testimony being looked at in the link you provided? Public Safety - Untraceable and Undetectable Firearms & Handgun Permits – Qualifications – High–Risk Occupations catch my eye more than storage requirements.

    Please read the bill carefully. It changes the age of covered children from "child" (up to age 16) to "MINOR" (up to age 18). Incremental expansion of the scope of liability.
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,691
    I'm far from being fluent in legalese, but I read it as age 16 and referring to loaded firearms, or firearms that are not locked in a manner to prevent loading and use. The wording seems to be aimed at preventing untrained and unsupervised children from accidently shooting their friends head off when they find dads pistol in the nightstand.

    Edit:
    What about the other bills and testimony being looked at in the link you provided? Public Safety - Untraceable and Undetectable Firearms & Handgun Permits – Qualifications – High–Risk Occupations catch my eye more than storage requirements.

    The language of the bill would support a ridiculous level of scrutiny, making nearly anyone with a firearm a felon. At the least, it should be tightened up to eliminate such an over-broad interpretation.

    There should be cutouts such that children raised to be responsible around firearms should not be the "trigger" for a felony charge against their parents. Not everyone in MD is a snowflake. Yet.
     

    Ponder_MD

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 9, 2020
    4,559
    Maryland
    Ok, I'd like to participate in adding testimony. I speak like a caveman who was just struck upside the head by a rival's club.
    Can anyone here give me a good template or framework to work from so that I may add a cogent argument to the testimony? I want to do better than "Bad law! Make it stop!"
     

    antco

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 28, 2010
    7,045
    Calvert, MD
    So words in brackets [WORD] are being removed and words in bold WORD are being added? Is that how these changes are laid out?
     

    mauser58

    My home is a sports store
    Dec 2, 2020
    1,757
    Baltimore County, near the Bay
    If my 17 year old daughter were home alone during a home invasion, I'd sure want her to have access to the tools to stop the act.
    I'd rather have her alive and sort out the legality of it later, than stand at her funeral...or worse, in the hospital as she undergoes administration of a rape kit.

    Most definitely Sir. This is what these politicians need to here also. They are just focused on one thing.
     

    Allen65

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 29, 2013
    7,063
    Anne Arundel County
    Edit:
    What about the other bills and testimony being looked at in the link you provided? Public Safety - Untraceable and Undetectable Firearms & Handgun Permits – Qualifications – High–Risk Occupations catch my eye more than storage requirements.

    Those aren't being heard in committee tomorrow. And while the intent of this one doesn't seem so bad (other than the ammo access part), the wording makes it almost impossible for gun owners to comply with. The law sets no due diligence standard other than "could".
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I support this bill. It will reduce the death toll in Baltimore by at least 50%.
     

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